Ich Liebe Basel!

After discovering that there were no trains available for the trip we had planned to go to Paris, we needed to form a quick plan B within 2 days. I did some research on interesting cities in Switzerland and we ended up choosing Basel as our destination, and we sure were glad we did. Our train ride was only 4 hours away, quite an easy journey compared to the experiences we've had in prior weekends. Our hostel was only a 5 minute walk from the train station and it was by far the nicest hostel I've ever seen. It was a YMCA hostel, they had a daily maid service to change the sheets, computers for guest use, the concierge was incredibly helpful, and it was impeccably clean. After unpacking and relaxing for a bit, we went exploring around town (also to get some coffee after staying up late to get work done the night before). We talked with some young people that worked at a cafe in hopes of getting insight into the nightlife in Basel. We bought a bottle of a local specialty wine made with honey, it wasn't bad. We started off the evening at a place called Cafe Atlantis, it ended up being a waste of our time, the people were snobby, no one was dancing, and drinks were way too over priced. We knew we weren't in the right place and left shortly there after. After a long walk we finally reached a club called Fame. There was a 15 franc cover charge but it was worth every penny. We danced on stage all night long and met people from numerous European countries.

 Inside our hostel room at the YMCA Hostel, Basel

The next morning we woke up and went to the markets to get fresh fruit. After we walked downtown and the first place we visited was the Kuntsmuseum. We saw paintings by Picasso and other famous artists, but my favorite exhibit by far was the Andy Warhol exhibit. It was interesting to see his blueprints and get some insight into the though processes behind his work. Unfortunately we weren't allowed to take any pictures, so instead I bought some souvenirs to remember it :) After wards we walked around town and did some shopping. I finally got a new camera so expect even more awesome pictures in the future. We went to lunch at a restaurant with a variety of foods, I got Thai vegetable curry. It was the best meal I've had since I've been abroad. Don't get me wrong I like Italian food, but without spice there's always something missing. (Also I forget to mention that during our shopping I was able to find my favorite Sriracha spicy sauce to bring back to Riva and put in all my food hehe). We walked along the Rhine River promenade for a few miles and then arrived at the Jean Tinguely museum. It's difficult to describe the uniqueness and eccentricity of this museum. Jean Tinguely was a Swiss painter and sculptor (actually from Basel), and he is best known for his sculptural machines and kinetic art. A portion of the museum was devoted to robotics and there was an especially striking exhibit that depicted scenarios from war in which GI Joe dolls were protagonists. It was sobering, but fascinating to imagine how someone could come up the idea.

Description of the Army exhibit

Example of just one of the GI Joe figures

One of Tinguely's sculptures

Walking down the Rhine River Promenade

For dinner that evening we found another Thai restaurant, we figured we needed to enjoy the spice as much as possible before going back to pizza, pasta, and french bread. I got a pad Thai dish, it was good but didn't compare to the curry for lunch. We went back to the hostel and called it an early night since two of us were running the the Rock the Beat Basel half marathon the next morning. 

Angie and I woke up early the next morning and left to find the race packet pickup location. After about an hour and a half of walking around the city, taking different buses and trams, and asking numerous employees working the event, we finally found the check in. The event was incredibly well organized, it rivaled similar events in the States, which is especially incredible considering it was the first year they were holding it. The run was absolutely amazing, we started off running along the Rhine, it was definitely a bit hot since the race didn't start till 11, but after several kilometers in, we veered off into a park where the majority of the race path continued. I finished in 1 hour and 46 minutes (8:10 splits), and cut 4 minutes off my previous time. The route was much easier than the Marine Corp half, flat ground almost the whole time. After the run we met up with the rest of the group and took a tram to a nearby town to see the ancient Roman Ruins, Augusta Raurica. The ruins are the oldest in Switzerland. The theater was incredible and when you climbed to the top there was an amazing view of the town and the mountains. We spent a few hours exploring the ruins before heading back to Riva. 

The Amphitheater, Augusta Raurica

View from the top of the theater

About to cross the finish line at Rock to the Beat Basel Half Marathon :)

Now back in Riva, we are nearly finished with our second course. We had our second exam this morning, we'll see if it went as well as the first, and we also have a research paper due tomorrow so lots of work to do before Venice and Verona this weekend! :)